Learn when and how to use weld features or cosmetic welds to help with assembly size and performance, drawing automation, and specialized weld state drawing views.
You can create and maintain your welding symbols and weld bead annotations using fully automated, partially automated, or manual methods. You can also create specialized views of the different weld states in your drawing.
Use of the weldment environment supports the automatic creation and updating of model welding symbols and weld bead annotations in the drawing environment. It also supports the creation of specialized weld state views in drawings.
Cosmetic welds have a minimal impact on file size and drawing view creation. Because they minimally impact performance and represent the widest range of weld types, cosmetic welds are the recommended method for designing weld beads. You can include an approximate weight of the cosmetic welds if you select Include Cosmetic Welds in the Physical tab of the iProperties dialog box. Create a physical fillet or groove weld to calculate accurate mass properties or to show a true visual representation of the weld.
The type of weld bead you create (cosmetic weld or solid fillet weld) determines the amount of automation that is possible for welding symbols and weld bead annotations in your drawings.
Cosmetic weld beads represent the widest range of weld types and are the recommended method for defining weld beads. Create solid fillet welds in your model if you need to update both the welding symbols and weld bead annotations in drawings automatically. Create cosmetic weld beads if automated creation and updating of symbols only is sufficient.
Weld bead annotations and welding symbol definitions can also be added manually to drawing views of any model; a weldment assembly is not required. Manually added welding symbols and annotations are not associative to model geometry and does not update automatically, with one exception. If you pick a defined weld edge while manually adding solid fillet weld bead annotations, the annotations are associated to the geometry and update automatically.
Where you place your assembly features determines whether you can create specialized views of the weld states. To include specialized views of each of the four weld states in your drawings, place your features in the appropriate weld feature groups.
If a particular type of weld feature, such as a preparation or machining feature is not required, leave that weld feature group empty. You may prefer to create the weld preparation in the part. In this case, specialized views of the preparation features are not available in the drawing.